Providing day-to-day care

You want to make every day the best day possible. Caring for someone with dementia can be a great reward but it can be challenging at times. Prepare yourself with these tips.

Senior woman standing in front of her town.

Credit: Ruben Ramos

Overview

There is no doubt that caring for a person living with Alzheimer's or another type of dementia can be frustrating and difficult. But it can also be rewarding. Solving problems and becoming confident in knowing how to give care can provide you with a great sense of satisfaction.

We are learning more and more about how to provide good, day-to-day care for the person living with dementia – while also taking care of yourself.

Much of what we know comes from the experience of family and professional caregivers. Together, we are all learning how to deal with the challenges of this disease.

Ways to care

Decision-making and respecting independence

Making decisions about our own lives is important for all of us. People living with dementia also want control of their lives. But the ability to make simple or complex decisions for someone living with dementia varies greatly, and will depend on their personality and the extent of their dementia progression.

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Senior couple laughing together on balcony.

Finding suitable activities

If you want to help someone with dementia take part in activities, talk to them about which ones they might enjoy. Try to find imaginative ways to adapt the activities to their changing capabilities and moods.

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Senior man enjoying listening to music while he reads.

Meal time

Healthy eating is important for all of us. Sharing meal times with family and friends can provide structure to the day and increase the enjoyment of food.

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Senior woman having a delicious meal.

Personal care

We all want to look good and feel good. People living with dementia gradually need more and more help to look after their own personal care.

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Person tying their shoelaces.

Sleep

Sleep disturbances are common with Alzheimer’s disease and they impact both the person with the disease and the caregiver.

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Senior woman asleep.

Long distance caregiving

Today, family members often live at some distance from each other. When a relative needs increasing support, caring from a distance presents additional and special problems.

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Senior man looking aside.

Long-term care

When a person living with dementia needs full time support, moving to a long-term care home may be the next step for you and your family.

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Smiling senior man at care home.

Looking after yourself

Providing care for someone living with dementia takes a tremendous toll on the physical and emotional health of the primary caregiver, yet many caregivers often don't recognize the warning signs, or deny its effects on their health.

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Young woman holding toy heart.

National resource library

Through our resource library, you can find a broad range of helpful and informational documents, videos and links related to dementia. We have resources for people living with dementia, families, caregivers, healthcare providers and more.

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Open book and laptop.